[Rhodes22-list] Re: Politics: Socialism - a response to Bob

[Rik Sandberg]

Bob,

I can't argue with most of what you say here. Perhaps my ideas about these things suffer a bit here because of my lack of writing skill.

I have no problem with helping people in need to get back on their feet. The problem I have is with helping people who have no intention of helping themselves. This is similar to your reason for moving back to Maine, There is help there and compassion, but they aren't going to carry these folks for the rest of their lives either. I think you would agree that this is as it should be.

I think you would agree also that our gov't (social services or whatever it is called where you are) should have their feet held to the fire a bit for making it very difficult for anyone who makes it into their support system, to make an easy transition out of it.

There aren't a lot of easy answers here.

Rik

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com>
Sent: May 25, 2005 11:57 AM
To: Rik Sandberg <sanderico at earthlink.net>, 
	The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Politics: Socialism - a response to Rik

Rik Sandberg wrote:
> ... What I see though is they do tend to promote the
> idea that it's OK to be a victim.  I see this as a
> huge problem in our country these days. People seem
> to think that their problems are somehow special and
> therefore some special treatment should be offered
> for them...

Rik, I have to agree that there is a growing culture of 
victimhood.  And yes, it is a social sickness in that it 
is the extreme opposite if responsibility for dealing 
with life as it comes.

On the other hand, doodoo occurs and we can all use a 
hand or a bit of good luck now and then.  I moved from
the D.C. area back to Maine in part because of its 
strong ethic of self-reliance, and in part because of
its history of mutual support in hard times.

The balance of responsibility and compassion in Maine 
was and is a lot healthier in my opinion than the (and 
here I quote a recent D.C. mayor) "Get used to it, 
whitey!" attitude about 3rd generation fatherless 
families living in the tax-subsidized projects.

> This to me is as good as promoting socialism.

But here we part company, only because of the way that
statement is phrased.  While irresponsibility is a 
problem, so is a position that institutionalized 
compassion (socialism) is a bad thing.

We who think about such things have a responsibility
to navigate a course between the Scylla of extreme 
socialism and the Charybdis of rock-hard capitalism. 
 
Either extreme sinks the ship of state.

Jai Bhagwan
/Bob

Yes, I did reverse the roles of Scylla and Charybdis 
for the sake of alliteration.
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/scylla.html